Archive #1

Update as of 29 November 2004

The Magnificent Seven

CONGRATULATIONS to all seven of our NZ candidates for the CTIAC eaxmination. They achieved a 100% pass rate! So it's a big WELL DONE to:

Jennifer Sigley ( Medical Laboratory Wellington)
Glenis Mangino, Lois Barnett and Christine Smith (Medlab BoP)
Jenny Yin, Lisa Ding, and May Du (DML Auckland)

The exams were organised in Wellington by Carol Green who has had a long associaton with the IAC. Carol said of their success: "New Zealand candidates are to be congratulated having once again shown they are tops. We have had an almost 100% pass rate over the years which shows our training is up there with the best in the world."
- CJW

(Top) Jennifer Sigley, Jenny Yin, Lisa Ding, May Du
(Bottom)Lois Barnett, Glenis Mangino, Christine Smith

Update as of 26 November 2004 Surprise Stomach Cancer Research Findings The BBC reports: " Stomach cancer may not originate from the tissue of the organ itself, but from bone marrow cells, researchers have found." "This was an unexpected finding, which may lead to a re-evaluation of current assumptions about how all cancers originate," Professor Timothy Wang is reported as saying. [Full story on news.bbc.co.uk ]
Update as of 25 November 2004 Gel may destroy cervical cancer "The gel, applied directly to the cervix, is designed to block the growth of proteins which play a key role in the development of cancer. ", the BBC's report says. [Read the full story on the BBC website]
Update as of 23 November 2004 Training Providers Sought The National Screening Unit, a separate unit of the Ministry of Health is looking to contract with an organisation to develop, organise and deliver national training for cytology laboratories contracted to the National Cervical Screening Programme. [See the announcement here]
Update as of 19 November 2004 Cervical Cancer Audit report released The long awaited audit report has given the "thumbs up" to NZ Cytology labs but expresses concerns about the relatively poor coverage achieved by the screening programme, especially amongst Maori and Pacific Islanders. Read more by clicking on the links below: See the full report here (MoH site) MoH Press release NZ Herald story Dominion post story
Update as of 30 September 2004 Competency Testing Discussion Paper Released The National Screening Unit (NSU) of the Ministry of Health is considering options for a New Zealand external quality assurance (EQA) programme to appraise the competency of individual practitioners in cervical cytology. An educational approach is proposed, as a result of consultation with the Cytology Training Working Group in 2003 and 2004 A dicussion paper was today circulated by Diane Casey of the Ministry of Health. Although the document is to be discussed at a session of the 2004 conference in Wellington next week, Diane welcomes feedback from interested parties until 20th October. The full text of the paper is available here as a PDF file.	Hopefully it will not really be like this...
	24 September 2004 Please Complete the Survey! We really need to know what you think about the website. Please complete our online survey or the paper version that will be distributed to labs this week. [CLICK HERE FOR THE SURVEY]
George L. Wied, M.D., D.Sc.(hon), F.I.A.C. February 7, 1921- July 25, 2004	08 September 2004 George Wied Fondly Remembered It is with great sadness that we have learnt of the death of George Wied in Salzburg, Austria on 25th July 2004. Professor Wied was a great friend and mentor to many of us in New Zealand. He came out here several times to give lectures and workshops and it because of him that we are able to hold the IAC examination here. It was his drive and vision that created the IAC, the Tutorials of Cytology as well as the Acta Cytologica and the Analytical and Quantative Cytology and Histology journals. He will be truly missed. People can read a tribute to Professor Wied at www.acta-cytol.com. - Carol Green, CFIAC
	01 September 2004 The NZSC 2004 Conference quiz: Win a $250 Prize!! Those lovely people at DML have provided the quiz which is now live. The prize is a cheque for $250 and is being kindly sponsored by Cooper Medical. The winner will be drawn from the pool of correct entries. The quiz is password protected and the username and password will be distributed via our email distribution list . Email the webmaster if you have problems. Answer submissions can be entered online or fill in the PDF form and bring/send it to the conference. Answers will be presented at the conference on Fri 8 October at 3.30pm and posted on the website after the conference. Enjoy! [CLICK HERE FOR THE QUIZ]
	16 Aug 2004 Animal Vegetable or Mineral? Is this the future of the NZSC Website? [read more]
	30 July 2004 LBC "cuts inadequate smear rate" in Scotland The BBC reports that the introduction of liquid-based cytology is resulting in fewer unsatisfactory and low grade smears, according to newly published statistics. With the widespread use of LBC in Scotland, the number of unsatisfactory smears fell from 7% to 2.2% in the last quarter of 2003. [Read full story on BBC website...] . 16 July 2004 Cervical smears saving thousands in UK The BBC reports that the UK cervical screening programme has prevented many thousands of cancer deaths there. [Read the full story on the BBC website...] .
	20 July 2004 NZSC Website Gets Award We submitted our website for assessment and came out with a silver gong! (Well, this cheesey graphic really) See: www.newzealandnz.co.nz
	01 July 2004 CTIAC Exams come to Wellington Final arrangements are being made to hold the CTIAC examinations in Wellington to coincide with our annual conference. The exams will be held on Sunday 10 October 2004. If you are interested in sitting the exams please contact Carol Green.
	01 June 2004 BSCC Annual Scientific Meeting This will be held in Sheffield (England) 12-15 September 2004. Conference Programme, Abstracts and registration forms can now be downloaded from www.bsccevents.co.uk Thanks to Lesley Couch at BSCC office for the information.
	01 May 2004 New Laptop for NZSC Committee Biocare have very kindly provided the NZSC with use of a new Laptop, seen here presented to Society President Dr Mee Ling Yeong [left] and Secretary/Treasurer Ms Sharon Waldvogel-Thurlow [right] by Dan Roberts [centre left] and Jane McLean [centre right] of Biocare. By way of thanks here's a plug for their website: www.biocare.co.nz
	31st European Congress of Cytology We have received an announcement about this meeting to be held in Paris in October 2005. Click here for more details.